Editor’s note: The Current subsequently learned that James di Fiore is not proceeding with his candidacy.
As far as parties go, Di Fiore is none of the above
Killaloe resident and occasional contributor to the Current, James di Fiore, has registered as a candidate in the Renfrew-Nippissing-Pembroke riding for the upcoming provincial election. Di Fiore will run as a member of the None of the Above party (NOTA).
NOTA’s platform is summarized on its website (click HERE for weblink) as follows:
Vote for None of The Above party to elect independent MPPs who are not bound by party control and who can truly represent their constituents first. We support the three Rs of direct democracy: Referendum, Recall, and Responsible Government Laws for true Legislative and Electoral Reforms.
Di Fiore explained his decision by saying the following:
I think the vast majority of citizens understand that major political parties do not act on our behalf. They are either corrupt from years of being in power or they subvert democracy within their own memberships in a desperate attempt to grab power. People are tired of being told there are only two or three choices at the ballot box.
I’m running in this riding, the riding I chose to raise my children, and where my wife was born and raised, to demonstrate that the hopes and worries of constituents are better represented when politicians put people first.
James first entered into politics as a speechwriter for former Defense Minister John Manley. He ran for mayor of Toronto in 2010, solely to encourage the youth to become politically active. He is a freelance journalist and works as an assistant librarian at the Madawaska Valley Public Library.
Recently he attracted some notoriety after posting a YouTube video about hush payments alleged to have been paid by the CBC. He professed to have knowledge of payments being made to female employees who had affairs with Peter Mansbridge. In it di Fiore stressed that there is no reason to suggest that the alleged relationships were anything other than completely consensual. Rather his concern was that taxpayers’ money may have been used if such payments were made.
